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Thursday, October 8, 2015

Day 10: Healthy "Choices"?

Besides viewing work that CAUSE has already accomplished in
Guatemala (see Day 10 blog), we visited community health units to start the
needs assessment of requirements for CAUSE’s new initiative through the
matching grant from Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and
Development. This project – to improve maternal and child health – is the
project that many of you have contributed to through your generous donations to
CAUSE (CAUSECanada.com/donate) when you specify the “Old Guys Guatemala” project.

Bev with one of the midwives.

As we surveyed the health units, we saw that maternal and
child health care was sadly lacking. Cause’s program, over 4 years, has the
potential to make a huge difference. Communities that were lucky
enough to have a concrete building for a health centre had one to three small, cold rooms and were
equipped with a rope hanging from the ceiling with which babies were weighed.
They also had posters addressing health concerns such as how to properly wash
and feed the babies. The irony is that for many, there is no running water and
very little in the way of food. The health units also have no running water or bathrooms inside.
Only one of the units we saw had a pila (outdoor sink) with a tap – albeit with
no handle. There was a pair of pliers kept on the pila to turn the water on and
off.

Health posters in the sparsely equipped clinic

The units also had limited supplies, such as: stethoscope,
blood pressure cuff, thermometer, and some immunization materials. Each health
centre had a nurse assigned to it, as well as a non-accredited facilitator, often
without medical training. It appears the nurses were hired as auxiliary
nurses (assuming less accreditation required than a nurse-and less pay).

One unit we saw was fortunate to have a full-fledged nurse –
although she was paid as an auxiliary nurse. She was very knowledgeable, but
somewhat discouraged with the work to be done and lack of supplies and help
with which to do it. Like her colleagues in other communities, she had a wide
swath of area to cover and only her feet with which to get her there. We asked
her how long it took her to get to her farthest designated community, and she
said just over one hour – if she walks fast – carrying supplies – and then an
hour plus back after a long hard day of visit made all the more difficult by the high incidence of malnourishment.

As Ross mentioned in the Day 6 post, the nurses are able to
get to each community about once a month. This leaves the health unit either
locked up or with the un-trained facilitator in charge. In the case of the baby who died that Ross told you about,
it appears that the facilitator made a judgement call that a trained nurse
would not have made – with sad consequences.

The challenges for CAUSE are many. Bev Carrick wisely wants to work
with health units and nurses that are already in place – thus not duplicating
services. This means forming or building on relationships with
governments, NGOs, the communities and
the nurses, facilitators and local midwives. This requires skill, knowledge and
diplomacy – something CAUSE clearly has mastered. I would say that Canada’s
Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development has picked the right
organization for this task – CAUSE for the Cause! I want to be on the list of
those come back in 4 years and see the results of CAUSE’s work!

We'll do anything to support the wonderful people at Sewing Seeds...even an encore presentation of our world famous men's synchronized ice swimming performance. It's also known as "Old-timers in Tutus". Missed it? You can still support Sewing Seeds and their projects around the world. Check 'em out!

May 2018 Uganda HIGH-low fundraiser for Embrace International Foundation and the Kyaninga Child Development Centre, Uganda

-We scaled the highest peak, cycled to the lowest point and completed a triathlon in Uganda to raise awareness and funds supporting children with cerebral palsy. You can still donate at http://www.embracecanada.ca/

April 19, 2018 CAUSE Canada Annual Spring Gala

-Celebrating the impact of work in Guatemala and Honduras with mothers and babies. Ross and Bernie were the auctioneers...but it was still fun:) -http://www.cause.ca/

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